Elitch Gardens Discussion Thread

[CD]

I hope so, I hate seeing amusment parks go and I would love to go and check EG out someday.

[RCfanatic]

Well thats sad, it seemed like a pretty decent park, if they close it i hope they relocate most of the coasters and don't scrape any of them, especially the rare Arrow Launch-Loop "Sidewinder".

 

Hopefully the better ones of the 6 "maybe-to-be-put-on-sale" Six Flags parks stay in operations.

[MSLSM]

While I kind of saw it coming, it is sad to see this park go. It was my favorite SF park, and IMO, it fit the new SF well. Hopefully Half Pipe is sent to GAM, but that will only be found out with time.

[CD]

I hope that the other Six Flags parks that just recently fired their characters don't have the same outcome. Like SFMW, I went to the park this weekend and didn't see a single character. Although every single ride was running which I have never seen before.

[SLUSHIE]

Why would one criticize and company for selling assets. Take control of that comany, then sell more assets.

[Homer]

Does SFEG have a good collection of flat rides?

 

Not really, the only standouts at SFEG are Batwing (Chance Aviator) and Tower of Doom (Intamin Freefall).

 

Well, hope SFEG doesn't get torn down. I found it to be one of the more well-kept parks in the SF chain. However, the day I went, Boomerang was doen. However, inside the station was a crew pressure washing it, so good to see SF maintaining their stuff.

 

Glad I got most of the credits though!

[CKY Lunatic]

Although...Flying Coaster would fit so perfectly in Flashback's space!!!

Ugh, take that heap of painful sh*t!

[coasterguy618]

This is sort of sad....seeing another Six Flags park for sale....but its not like we didnt know this was going to happen.

[CoasterCrazy]

It looks like SFEG will be another SF park that I will never get a chance to visit.

[kenshinmac]

Have you guys even read the thing? Basically the site is not really feasible for any other use and the asking price is obviously not for just the land... The price is to sell the park as a whole.

 

I can't imagine that a company could really make it worthwhile to buy the land what with the cost of the park and the costs associated with changing the zoning and everything else...

 

Besides Six Flags is looking to sell properties but the amount of bad press that the old Six Flags got for closing down one property would be a death sentence for the new owners. Heck do the rest of you remember the stock price fall that happened when they announced that they were closing Astroworld? I think they will do whatever they can to try to preserve the parks since they are in many cases very important to the cities in which they reside.

[Chaddyboy]

All we can do is pray that the zoning laws don't change and allow the park to be destroyed. I'd be quite happy with the park not changing very much at all except for the removal of the Six Flags name.

[ginzo]

From what I have read, there is some pretty strict zoning in place that would keep it from being any thing but amusements. The city of Denver put 30mil into the property solely for the purpose of amusements, and I don't think it will be easy to change that.

 

Don't bet on it. Having been raised by a real estate lawyer I've heard a story or two. Major real estate developers tend to push cities around like playground bullies Rezoning happens every day, and city council members can be bought on the cheap. Nobody wants to stop development in their municipality, and for good enough reason. Moreover, Denver real estate is quite valuable these days. A motivated developer could perhaps work out a deal that included remuneration for the city's prior investment.

[ScOtT k]

Even though the park sucks. I still have a great time when I visit. I really hope that some theme park company picks up elitchs. Not likely but... hey.

[Twister II]

I just got home from the park.

 

Yea, looks like the ride crews read that article today, cause very slow operations, and not one seemed like they even cared to be there anymore.

 

If the park was sold, I hope it will be moved up north some, where they park can really get a chance to experiment with new rides, and expand.

[Guy T. Koepp]

I gotta say I realy liked EG! Except Flying Coaster! That painful POS should be placed on Shapiros desk as a paperweight. It was quite a pretty park. Very clean and well kept. Anyway, I hope it does get purchased by someone. It seems unlikely that it would go for any kind of residential as it is stuck right between the freeway and a huge railroad yard. Seems a little bit of a loud area for any kind of living area.

 

I hope it dosn't go. I realy enjoyed it's clean, wholesome, fun, family atmosphere. Hey, that sounds like a great slogan. Six Flags should try that one out .

[GURZU]

Other SixFlags for sale....

[Homer]

^^Guy, I swear, if Shapiro wanted a model SF park, it would be SFEG. Most of the thrills there are mild, theres a good family atmosphere there, and it seems to be doing well in the SF chain.

 

Oh well, heres to the new owners hoping to be some local firm that would understand the locals and keep the park open.

[ScOtT k]

The Denver post has a new article out today stating that kennywood entertainment, and herschend entertainment (owners of dollwood and SDC) are both interested in the park...

[CoasterFanatic]

^ This is what i have been saying for a while now. These park sales aren't neccesarily a bad thing.

[Guest]

Kennywood really doesn't have the money to put into another park. They have been really looking forward to expanding their very land-locked park. If SDC's company bought it I think it might fit them a bit better then KW's company.

 

Besides, why would Kennywood be in the process of acquiring 40 acres of land for the park, and still think about a park that they really shouldn't be buying.

[kenshinmac]

Hopefully someone will buy it and run it as a park... Plus with a creative company we could see some really fun rides in the admittedly limited space they still have. It is a great property and a well known name.

[BarryH]

Do you suppose Cedar Fair will buy SFEG? They can put in more trash cans and a Coasters Restaurant!

[coaster1]

SFEG doesn't fit the Herschend's profile, Frontier City is more of an SDC park than the concrete jungle of SFEG.

 

Granted SFEG isn't bad looking, but the location and all makes it better suited as a mall or something which would bank being between the Pepsi Center and Invesco Field .. plus being on reclaimed Superfund site, there's little that can be done there .. but again .. a huge shopping center would possibly be the only soultion.

[jamesdillaman]

Say it with me: Indoor Waterpark Resort

j/k Seriously I doubt it will go away. The city and people of Denver want to keep it an amusement park and they will put pressure on whoever buys it to keep it that way, IMO.

-James Dillaman

[TexTitan01]

well there are people out there who want it to be torn down and redeveloped, but that would probably cost more money than the city wants to shell out. So if it will stay an amusement park, that begs the question

 

Who'll take the reigns (sp?). Cedar Fair seems likely, even though they just got Paramount Parks. Who knows what'll happen.